After lengthy delay, start of demolition work at former Northbridge Hotel elicits cheers from NSBIA

KAMLOOPS — In a few weeks, the former Northbridge Hotel — which was also the site of the former Duchess Nightclub — will be flattened and cleared away.

City of Kamloops Capital Projects Manager Matt Kachel says crews were given the green light to continue demolition work this week.

“Right now, as everyone can see, they’re taking down the super structure, and we’re looking at about six weeks of work here and we should be all wrapped up.”

The aging, vacant building was supposed to be cleared away about one year ago, and Kachel says the city ran into an issue around a pre-existing leasing agreement that took time to resolve before work could continue.

“We started with abatement last year and we had hoped that the Telus antennas that were on the roof there would be off in time. Unfortunately, it wasn’t able to be coordinated fast enough so we had to demobilize for a bit, and wait until that was taken care of and then come back and take care of the rest of the building,” explains Kachel.

The North Shore Business Improvement Association’s executive director, Jeremy Heighton, says he’s glad to see demolition work begin, as it marks the next phase of revitalization of the Tranquille corridor.

“If we could have a champagne party, we would have a champagne party, to be quite honest with you,” he told CFJC, “Like I say, it’s a great day. It’s symbolic, right? Of the things that are moving forward. And we will continue to see these projects coming on stream over the next, probably, five-to-seven years. There’s a lot lined up for the Tranquille corridor — and even moving now up into the 8th Street corridor above us.”

The property was bought for $7.1 million by the City of Kamloops in 2021. The plan is to have market and rental housing built in the front and back lots. According to Heighton, the back lot building is going to be rental units run by BC Housing and ASK Wellness, and it’s not going to be a drop-in social service facility.

“It’s not a social development. It is actually affordable rental housing,” says Heighton. “The front is supposed to be market housing. But again, depending on the housing crisis now with how things unfold with the federal government and the province on funding, it may change slightly with the texture of that, but it’s never going to be a social program. This is not what we’re after in this corridor.”

The NSBIA says it’s a sign of another swell of upcoming changes taking place on the city’s North Shore to improve livability and business potential.

“For us, it signalled that the city was invested in our redevelopment here as much as we were invested in it as a community. It was a real psychological step forward for the entire community. And to see this come down, it’s just another one of those steps forward for all of us.”